Far Away Silence
by trysomecatsLOTR
Summary: When Gandalf wants to take Legolas to Rivendell with him, Thranduil finds himself panicking at the thought of being separated from his quiet little elfling. (Mute!Legolas, part 5 of 'The Strength of Silence' series).
1. Chapter 1

**Part 5 of my 'The Strength of Silence' series, set in a universe where everything is more or less the same, except Legolas is mute.**

* * *

It was late afternoon, not long after the halting of heavy rainfall. The sun now glinted against the water-drop covered trees, and the forest smelt heavily of fresh, dampened earth. A little elfling ran barefooted through the forest, light on his feet and very sure of himself. He silently made his way through the dense thickets until he reached one of his favorite trees, grabbing a low branch and swinging up with ease.

The elfling, Prince Legolas of the Woodland Realm, was eagerly responding to a message from the trees, who sensed that there was a special visitor entering Greenwood. Legolas had a feeling as to who this visitor was, and he was hoping that his instincts were right.

Sure enough, after waiting patiently in the treetops, he spotted a figure clad in ragged robes and a pointy hat. He was also wielding a staff, using it as a walking stick and to move aside plants and foliage. It only took one quick glance for Legolas to confirm his suspicions; it was Gandalf The Grey!

Legolas nudged one of the nearby branches to let a pinecone loose, waiting with baited breath as it fell to the forest floor. Just as he'd hoped, the bearded wizard stopped in his tracks and peered up into the trees. Legolas was unable to hold back the delighted giggle that passed through his lips.

"Well now!" Said Gandalf the Grey. "If I didn't know any better, I might think there was a little spy above my head."

The old wizard reached into his robe and pulled out a lumpy brown bag. "I have a sack of sweets here, but it's not for any sort of spy- it is a gift for the prince of the Woodland Realm!"

Legolas was never one to pass on the opportunity of obtaining candy; there were plenty of sweets available from the cooks of the palace, but Gandalf always brought the best sort of candy with him! He dropped effortlessly to the ground, wasting no time in hugging the wizard.

Gandalf, as always, was delighted to see him. "Just look at you, child! You've grown since I've saw you!"

The elfling was grinning ear-to-ear, and he made several hand gestures.

The old wizard grinned. "Why certainly, let's be on our way to your Ada then!"

It was certainly a sight to behold when they entered the cavern-palace: A tall wizard in ragged robes being tugged along by an elfling who barely reached his waist in height. From the looks of it, Legolas had had a very active afternoon, shown by his dirty feet and tousled hair.

Thranduil was already aware of Gandalf's arrival, thanks to one of the guards, so he smiled upon seeing them both. He rose from his throne, spreading both his hands in a welcome gesture.

"Mithrandir, welcome. I trust you had a safe journey here?"

"Ah, yes, the journey was _most_ excellent!" Gandalf agreed. "Although I admit, traveling through the forest would have been a great deal more difficult had I not been shown the way by my excellent guide."

"Is that so?" The king's eyes moved to his son, who was beaming with pride. Legolas finally let go of Gandalf's hand, running to his father and hugging him tightly. He held up his new sack of sweets and indicated that he wanted to share them with the king.

Thranduil kissed his son's head. "Thank you Legolas. I'll take one piece, but you keep the rest to yourself. Take care not to eat them all at once and spoil the evening meal."

Legolas nodded, and once Thranduil had taken one of the sugary treats, he sent the elfling away to change and wash himself for supper. He did not mind Legolas spending his days playing in the forest as any wood-elf should, but he was also a prince and must behave and dress like one when there were guests of any kind, even Gandalf the Grey.

"Your son is growing into a fine young prince," Gandalf told Thranduil, his blue eyes twinkling.

"He certainly is," Thranduil agreed. They had moved into the king's private study, both sitting comfortably so that Gandalf could rest from his travels. "I was not expecting you for at least another moon cycle. Tell me Mithrandir, what news have you brought with you?"

"Lord Elrond has agreed to look into making an antidote for Greenwood's spider situation," the wizard told him. "Have you managed to collect any venom? He'll need plenty to work with in order for anything to be done."

"My soldiers have collected many vials," the king said. "and several lost their lives doing so. The venom is strong; it leaves the victim paralyzed, and it burns a great deal. Even an elf is left immobilized from it, unable to fight until death is too imminent. But even worse is when a full bite happens. It poisons not only the body, but the mind as well. Those who have received a full bite only last hours, even when surrounded by my best healers."

Gandalf listened solemnly. Radagast had told him a similar tale. Outsiders were becoming wary of entering the forest, and some even referred to it as Mirkwood due to the gloomy sickness that seemed to have conjured out of nowhere.

"How has Legolas been faring lately?" Gandalf suddenly asked. Thranduil raised an eyebrow, wondering why Gandalf would bring up his son during such a conversation.

"He's fine. His work with a bow is exemplary for his age, and his relationship with the forest is as strong as ever. Of course I never let him wander too far, for I won't have him going after the arachnids. If they are still a problem when he is older, I have no doubt he will clear a good number of them from Greenwood."

"And what of his language skills? Still not a word out loud, it seems."

The king's eyes narrowed. "No. It has been almost fifteen years since his birth, and five years since he has learned to speak with his hands. I do not expect him to change, nor do I wish it."

"Of course not," Gandalf agreed. "I couldn't be more happier that Legolas took so well to learning the voice of the hands. You know Thranduil, Lord Elrond has not seen Legolas since his birth. Nor has any other outside of the Woodland Realm."

"The mortals of Laketown know of him," Thranduil said mildly, though he tensed.

"Laketown is only a little ways down the river. Legolas is a bright, eager child. He would be fascinated at seeing Rivendell."

"No!" Thranduil snapped, when he finally realized what the old wizard was getting at. "No Mithrandir, I will _not_ be sending Legolas to Imladris!"

"And why not?" Gandalf challenged.

"Because that would be absurd! Legolas is much too young to be traveling alone, and I can hardly leave my kingdom at a time like this."

"He would not be alone. Do you not trust in me to see your son safely to Lord Elrond's home?"

Thranduil closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "Why are you so eager for him to travel there?"

"Because, King Thranduil of Greenwood the Great, I know _exactly_ what your plan is. You cannot keep Legolas so sheltered from the world! He will not be a child forever, and when he is one day grown, what will become of him if he knows nothing outside of Mirk- Greenwood? Meeting other elves could do wonders for him, and Lord Elrond would also be able to examine Legolas personally."

The king found himself unable to come up with a proper argument of defense. A part of him wanted to stay angry; it was just like Mithrandir to decide that his elfling needed to be socialized with the world. Curse all the wizards of Middle Earth!

"We've long established that his muteness is not a weakness- it doesn't hinder anything else he does. In fact, he's very sharp, and far more intelligent than most elflings are at such an age."

"Thranduil, there is no need to convince me or Elrond of these things," said Gandalf. "It's quite easy to tell that Legolas is a perfectly bright and healthy child."

Thranduil was rather taken aback. "Well, of course he is, but-"

Gandalf appeared to be amused. "Have you forgotten, dear king, that Lord Elrond has raised three children himself, two of them having been veryrambunctious twin boys? He knows how to take care of children."

"I know that," Thranduil relented. "But you see, in Greenwood, we make a _very_ firm effort to reassure Legolas that nothing is wrong with him. I suppose I wouldn't mind Lord Elrond examining my child, but I don't want my little leaf feeling any self-doubt."

"Legolas has nothing to fear. I shall make sure that he is escorted safely and soundly to Rivendell, and once he has arrived, he will no doubt have a very enjoyable time among the Noldor."

Thranduil sighed, his heart already plummeting at the thought of his tiny little elfing so far away from him. Of course he knew how safe Imladris was; it was perhaps even safer for elflings to dwell than Greenwood itself was. He also trusted Gandalf and knew that he would see that Legolas arrived there safely.

But all the same, he was not sure if he could bear being separated from his little companion. Not one day in all of these fifteen years had he ever spent a night away from his son. If he allowed for Legolas to leave with Gandalf, it would be several months before he saw his elfling again.

There was no doubt Legolas would be interested in seeing Imladris, but how would he get by without his ada there? Who would hold him closely each night to sing and watch the stars with him? Who would make sure that he took a bath every day and braided his hair correctly? Surely after the initial excitement had passed, Legolas would grow very homesick.

"I will bring it up to Legolas and see what he thinks," Thranduil finally relented. Gandalf looked very pleased, for they both knew what the outcome would be once Legolas was presented with the opportunity to travel.

* * *

Supper at the elven king's table was always a grand affair, and it was something Gandalf looked forward to every time he visited. There was plenty of baked fish and ham, warm buttered potato bread, boiled onions, stewed carrots, greens topped with a sugary vinaigrette, and spice cakes with pudding. Thranduil dismissed the staff once the food had been brought out, and so it was just the three of them at the table. As they tucked into their food, Legolas asked question after question to Gandalf, mostly pertaining to his travels and the people and creatures he had met. Thranduil finally had to intervene, for Legolas had hardly touched his food, seeing as his hands were so occupied with chatter.

Once the meal was finishing, Thranduil decided to test the waters. "Legolas, how would you feel about traveling to Imladris to see Lord Elrond?"

As expected, the elfling's eyes lit up with rapture. He began to speak, his movements too fast and not making total sense. ' _Yes Ada! Yes yes yes! When? I'll go!_ '

"In a few days' time, if you would like to."

' _Yes yes yes_!'

"You'll be going with Gandalf. He would escourt you there, and then you would spend at least three moon cycles with Lord Elrond's household."

As Thranduil had expected, Legolas seemed to falter at the news that his ada would not be going along with him.

"Imladris is far from Greenwood. If you wanted to come home, it would take many days to return. You must be sure that this is something you would want to do."

Thranduil hated to admit it, but he had wished for Legolas to change his mind and stay home. Legolas was truly his most precious treasure, and to be separated from him would bring forth a great deal of pain to the king.

 _'I want to go_ ,' Legolas signed. ' _But I will miss you very much the entire time I am gone_.'

* * *

That night, Thranduil held Legolas in his lap as they watched the stars together. The king stroked his son's hair, preparing him for their separation. He reminded Legolas that he would be Greenwood's representative, and so he must remember his manners and be on his best behavior.

"You must mind everything that Lord Elrond says," Thranduil spoke softly, for once not using his own hands so that he could continue to hold his child tightly. "Any rules put forth will be for your own safety. I know Lord Elrond, and he will treat you kindly and fairly. If you have any questions or worries, you must tell him."

Legolas nodded, using his hands to hold a long strand of his ada's hair and gently twisting it around his fingers. Thranduil continued to provide any information he could, on things such as the other elves who resided in Imladris, like the chief advisor Erestor, the balrog slayer Lord Glorfindel, and Lord Elrond's own three children.

"Everyone will love you very much," Thranduil promised. "And you will be very safe there. The journey will be tiring, but you must listen to Mithrandir and do exactly as he says. He will be able to keep you safe during your travels, but only if you listen to him. Do you promise to, ion-nin?"

Legolas nodded once again, though to tucked himself deeper into the king's arms. When he finally fell into rest, eyes glazed over and gleaming with starlight, Thranduil continued to hold him rather than bring him to his bed. He felt no need for sleep, preferring instead to keep watch over his tiny elfling, for soon he would not be able to.

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 **Hoping for some feedback, and then I'll post the second half of the story! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

In spite of King Thranduil worrying himself sick over his little elfling being so far away, in truth Legolas was doing just as Gandalf had expected he would; the prince was enthralled with Imladris, taking in the sight and with round, curious eyes as they crossed the bridge. The elves of Imladris sang cheerfully from a distance, their songs lighthearted as they teased Gandalf and inquired about the "bright haired elfling" that accompanied him.

On the steps to greet them was Lord Elrond himself, along with several of his advisors. Legolas turned shy as they neared, clutching Gandalf's hand tightly when they dismounted from the horse. The elfling stayed half hidden behind Gandalf while the wizard greeted everyone, peeking up at the new faces warily.

Suddenly Lord Elrond bent down so that he was closer to Legolas' height, and he began to move his hands in recognizable patterns as he gently spoke aloud: "Welcome to Imladris, Prince Legolas!"

His smile was warm and sincere, and Legolas decided on the spot that he liked Lord Elrond; the half-elf reminded him of his Ada. No longer feeling so shy, Legolas stepped out in front of Gandalf, remembering his manners as Ada would have wished him to.

 _'Thank you! I am pleased to be here.'_

Gandalf squeezed his shoulder approvingly. He was soon introduced to the elves who accompanied Lord Elrond. There was Erestor, a dark haired elf with a gentle smile who was the chief advisor of Imladris. Then there was Lord Glorfindel, the mighty balrog slayer that Ada had told him about. He was tall and fierce, with waves of long golden hair. Legolas, in awe, hardly knew what to say to him.

Elrond spoke, "I understand that this is your first time making such a long journey. There is a room prepared for you; would you like to rest until the evening meal, or would you prefer to see more of Imladris first?"

Despite how weary the elfling looked, it was hardly a surprise that he wanted to delay resting, his eyes shining with excitement as he fidgeted. It was decided that Erestor would take Legolas to see more of Imladris. The chief counselor was proficient in the voice of the hands, being the only one who knew it apart from Elrond and his sons, the latter two having learnt a rather rough version from their time with the rangers.

While this occured, Gandalf, Elrond, and Glorfindel sat down for a private talk in Elrond's study. Gandalf delivered a box containing several vials of venom collected from the newly infested spiders of Greenwood. Elrond and some of his best healers would see what they could do in coming up with a remedy to counteract the venom's symptoms.

"I'm afraid that I can only stay tonight," Gandalf soon informed them. "I know that Legolas will be in good hands, so I needn't say that we shall all face the king of Greenwood's wrath if anything happens to him."

"It is unfortunate that you cannot stay longer to recuperate from such a long journey. Still, you have my word that the prince will receive the utmost sort of care that an elfling should have. He will be very safe here," Elrond promised.

"I'm still surprised that you managed to persuade Thranduil in letting Legolas come here," Glorfindel remarked. "We thought the child would not be allowed from Greenwood for at least another century or five ."

"He has plenty of reasons to be concerned," said Elrond. As a parent himself, he understood the king's fears. Though his own children were considered grown, to this day he still always anxious when they traveled away from home. It was only natural for a parent to worry, and the fact that Legolas was so young and had a speech impediment made Elrond understand completely.

* * *

It took less than a day for the entire household of Elrond to fall in love with their Greenwood visitor. He was introduced to the many elves who worked and occupied the household, and his impeccably charming behavior brought smiles to all of their faces. Being the youngest elfling in Imladris was another reason as to why everyone doted on the prince so much; it was impossible not to love such a sweet face and young soul. Initially, no one knew what to expect from a wood elf of Greenwood, especially one who was a prince. Legolas surprised them with his eagerness to engage and learn everything that he could.

Lord Elrond observed Legolas while remaining as subtle as he could. One of the most intriguing things he noticed straight away was how at certain times, the elfling's mouth opened and closed, as if he wanted to to talk, but no words could make it out. He could laugh just fine, giggling like any child might when he found something to be funny. That gave proof that there was no physical damage to his vocals, just as they had expected.

Another observation was Legolas' behavior in general. For an elf of around fifteen, Legolas was about the size of a six year old mortal. He behaved as many elflings that young might; he was playful, curious, and slightly apprehensive when encountering new people. He was developing as any elf might be at such an age, and it was obvious that there were no learning impairments.

It was highly comical to witness Legolas' first encounter with the twins. Three days into Legolas' stay, they returned from their latest orc hunting spree. After ensuring that they were safe and uninjured, Elrond asked for them to take dinner in the hall with everyone else. It was always a hit or miss with the twins since the departure of their mother; more often than not they were closed off and preferred to be alone, but other times they would endure the company of others in order to satisfy Elrond. This time they agreed to their father's request, accompanying him to the meal.

Legolas had been sitting at the high table, ignoring his food while telling a wild tale to a confused Glorfindel, who had yet to grasp the voice of the hands. When Legolas caught sight of Elrond and his sons in the doorway, however, his eyes widened. He sprang up from his seat, fork clattering to the ground as he ran straight over to them.

The elfling pointed to Elladan and then to Elrohir, giggling in delight as he held up two fingers. ' _Two! Two of you! Two!_ '

It was obvious that the elfling had never encountered identical twins before, which made sense, seeing as twins were rare among elves.

Elrond had to hold in laughter. "Boys, this is Prince Legolas, the son of King Thranduil. Legolas, these are my sons, Elladan and Elrohir. As you can see, they are twins."

As if a switch had been flipped, Legolas frowned. It took them a moment to realize that he was trying to figure out how to sign 'twin,' likely never needing to do so before.

"Twin," Elrohir said quietly, kneeling down to match Legolas' height. He held up two fingers, brushing them first against his left cheek, and then his right. Legolas gleefully repeated the gesture once, twice, and then a third time while all of the other elves watched in amusement. The twins themselves were grinning, and it was obvious that the little elfling had captured two more friends with his endearing personality.

* * *

One week into Legolas' stay, Elrond spoke of his observations to his chief advisor as they sat down for tea in his study. It was late into the night, and the elfling was tucked safely and soundly in his bed.

"It's very intriguing. As far as I can tell, there is nothing physical that prevents him from talking. It's as if there's some sort of mental block that hinders him from verbally speaking words."

"But what could cause such a thing?" Erestor asked.

"Well, that question cannot be answered right now, and perhaps not ever. There is no known record of an elf born without speech. In fact, most elflings master the art of their vocals far before they even learn to walk."

"It's because elves develop quicker in the mind than the body," Erestor noted. "Usually it takes only a few months for an elven baby to begin speaking."

"Elrohir had a slight language delay," Elrond mused. "But only for a few months after his brother began to speak. Of course I can't compare either of the twins to Legolas, for their human blood was responsible for slowing their infantile development in general. It was the same case with Arwen."

"Well, Legolas is still very young in elven standards," Erestor pointed out. "He has only just reached his fifteenth year; he might have a possibility of becoming vocal yet."

"Yes, a slight possibility. The older he gets, the less likely it will be for change to occur. I do wish I could understand it better," Elrond mused quietly in frustration. "I know that King Thranduil worries a great deal for his son."

"He ought not to worry," Erestor said. "Legolas is a fine child."

"He certainly is," Elrond agreed. "All three of my children have taken a shine to him. Did you know that Arwen has been telling him bedtime tales each night? And the twins take him 'adventuring' through the valley almost every day. I haven't seen them act so carefree since…"

The chief advisor nodded in understanding. "That child brings out only the best in all who surround him. People may judge the elven-king however they'd like, but nothing ill can be said about his parenting skills."

"I had wondered," Erestor started, but then grew hesitant. "Have you considered- well, Greenwood has been changing for awhile now. The spiders, the sickness…"

"You're wondering if Greenwood's sickness could be a reason for his silence?" Elrond finished his thought. "I admit, I have considered it."

Elves only had children in times of peace, and for many years they could feel an unnatural darkness looming over the lands. Legolas' birth had been a true rarity, making him the youngest elfling of Middle Earth. A pure innocent elfling babe, born in a time of darkness.

"And what do you think?"

Elrond sighed. "No matter what I think, there is still no way to know for sure. But if that is the reason, then there is nothing that can be done."

The good thing was that Thranduil had no desire to see his child talk; it was clear that he loved Legolas just the way he was. Although the healer in Elrond wanted to do something to help, he knew deep down that finding the source of Legolas' impairment wasn't the reason that Gandalf had brought him here.

The true reason behind Gandalf's scheming was to open Legolas to a world outside of Greenwood, which had been accomplished easy enough. Legolas had made many friends here in Imladris, ones that would no doubt benefit him greatly. Once he returned to Greenwood and Thranduil saw how happy he was, Legolas would no longer be so sheltered. The elfling would do great things in his lifetime. Gandalf sensed it easily enough, and Elrond found himself knowing so too. Silent or not, the woodland prince spoke enough with his heart, with words more powerful than anything spoken out loud.

Yes, truly there was no reason for Thranduil to worry about his son.

* * *

 **MANY YEARS LATER**

* * *

Elladan could sense his foster brother's disgruntled attitude, but he was clueless to the reason for it. Legolas had hardly even been in Imladris for five minutes; he couldn't possibly have done anything to offend Estel yet.

Still, the child was staring at Legolas with a disgruntled expression, watching as the woodland elf conversed with Elrohir and the other elves who had gathered around to greet their visitor.

"I want to play too," he suddenly spoke, his lower lip turning into an adorable pout.

"Play what, Estel?" Elladan asked him, puzzled.

"The hand game!" Estel said. "Can't you teach me, 'Dan? It looks like fun, but I don't understand it!"

Suddenly it began to make sense. Elladan laughed lightly, crouching down to the six year old's level. "It's not a game, Estel. Legolas cannot speak aloud, so he uses his hands instead."

Estel's eyes grew comically wide. "You mean he doesn't talk at all ?"

"Not out loud," Elladan told him. "But I think you'll find that he talks very much for someone who is so quiet. Now come, and I shall introduce you."

Elladan took Estel's hand and led him toward the small group. Legolas waved cheerfully upon seeing them, cocking his head curiously as he took in Estel.

"Legolas, much has happened in these recent years. This is Estel, and he is staying here in Imladris with us."

"Hello!" Estel said, never known for his shyness. "Can you teach me to talk like you do? 'Dan told me it's not a game, but it looks fun!"

If he was surprised by the child's abruptness, Legolas did not show it. Instead, his smile grew tenfold as he nodded excitedly. He then rose both of his hands in the air, opening and closing them twice. It was a quick and simple gesture, and afterwards he touched the top of Estel's head.

The child's brow furrowed. "What does that mean?"

"He said your name," Elrohir answered. "It's the symbol for hope."

"Oh!" Estel blinked. "Do it again, do it again!"

Needless to say, Estel remained glued to Legolas' side for the remainder of the woodland elf's visit. He wanted to know symbols for everything, from tableware to oliphants. It pleased the twins and Elrond to see their ward get along with Legolas; it was easy to tell that the two would have a lifelong friendship.


End file.
